Storage shoe heel



Aug. 4, 1959 L. E; BoDKlN STORAGE SHOE: HEEL.

Filed March 19. 195e fzrezyr ary/*ence E'. Bod/(177,

ited States 2,897,609 STORAGE sH'oi: HEEL Lawrence E. Bodkin, Jacksonville, Fla. Application March 19, 1956,Seria1 No. 572,418

1s claims. (ci. sis- 1) This invention relates to improved storage shoe heels, and more particularly pertains to arrangements of hollow heel members permitting ready external access to a stor- Y age chamber within the heel member.

While hollow heels have been known for smuggling narcotics, jewels and the like, the constructions usually employed have been such as to deny access to the storage cavity except by destructive diassembly of the heel, although trap doors opening through the sole into the interior of the shoe have also been suggested. In the latter case, removal of the shoe from the foot is required to gain access to the cavity and the presence of the heel of the Wearers foot in the shoe is required to maintain the cavity closed against access.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a heel arrangement wherein ready external access may be had to the storage cavity.

In accord with the present invention, a safe yet readily accessible storage cavity is provided in the heel of a shoe, particularly adapted to receive a few coins for lunch money for school children, bus tokens, door keys, small emergency funds, train tickets and the like. lt is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide in a shoe, a heel construction comprising a chamber to which there may be ready access, while maintaining the desired normal external appearance of the shoe and maintaining strength, comfort and good wearing qualities of the shoe.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a shoe with a heel having a cavity arranged to permit ready access to the cavity with the shoe on the foot and while the wearer is seated with legs crossed in a comfortable manner, and in such manner that the cavity is not turned upside down to spill its contents upon opening.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a partially sectionalized and broken away side elevation of a shoe heel structure in accord with a preferred embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the structure of Fig. 1, showing a heel member in position to expose a storage chamber;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view on enlarged scale of a catch element embodied in the structure of Figs. l and 2;

Fig. 4 is a broken away side view of a portion of a heel structure showing a modified attachment of a guard member to the shoe sole;

Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of a modified form of construction of the heel structure of Figs. l and 2, wherein several elements are embodied in an assembly attachable as a unit to the sole of a shoe;

Fig. 6 is a partially fragmentary bottom plan view of the assembly shown in' Fig. 5, prior to attachmentr to the shoe sole and with a movable heel portion comprising a storage cavity swung into forward openA position;

Fig. 7 is a partially broken away and sectionalized bottom planview of a heel structure in accord with a modified embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a sectional side elevation taken along line 8--8 of Fig. 7; and i Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

The preferred embodiment of this invention as shown in Fig. l of the drawings is applicable to the rear or heel structure of a shoe 1, and more particularly to the combination of a movable heel member 2 with the rear or heel portion 3 of a shoe sole 4 and elements associated therewith. Since the upper 5 of the shoe and the arch and toe portions may be of any desired common construction and are not specifically pertinent to the novel arrangement, the upper 5 is indicated in broken lines and the arch and toe portions are broken away.

Heel member 2, which may be formed of hard rubber, laminated leather, synthetic plastic, or other suitable material, is pivotally attached adjacent its upper forward edge 6 by means of hinge leaf 7, hinge pivot pin 8 and hinge leaf 9 to heel sole portion 3, screws lll being provided to aflix leaf 7 to the heel member and screws 11 being provided to affix leaf 9 to sole 4. The hinge members are preferably of metal.

Heel member 2 is further attached to heel sole portion 3 by a force-responsive releasable catch or detent mechanism l2 which is positioned at a point or portion remote from or spaced from pivot axis 8 and which is, more particularly, disposed at or near the rear end of the heel member and heel sole portion. Catch 12 comprises a pair of elements which, when brought into appropriate juxtaposition or contact resist separation and, as shown, may consist of a male element 13, which is attached by screws 14 to heel member 2 substantially at its upper surface 15, and a female element 16, attached by screws 17 to heel sole portion 3 substantially at its under surface 18.

A third group of elements also attaching heel member 2 to heel portion 3 is shown in Fig. l, comprising a resilient skirt portion 20 depending from the extreme rearward end of sole 4 and attached by means, for example, of threads 21 to the sole, and further comprising a notch or indentation 22 in the heel member in which a projecting portion 23, in the nature of a detent or catch element, engages. The portion 23 is formed, preferably, as an integral part of skirt portion 20. As indicated in the drawing by broken lines at 24- the skirt portion 20 may be pfulled and bent by lingers rearwardly from engagement with the heel member, thereby to disengage catch element 23 from notch 22 and to permit a iinger to reach notch 22. A finger or thumb or other external object may thus be used at notch 22 to pry or force the rear end of heel member 2 away from the shoe sole in a direction to release, upon application of sufficient force, the force-responsive catch elements 13 and 16 from one another and to cause the heel member to swing or pivot on hinge pin 8 from the closed position of Fig. 1 into the open position of Fig. 2. Upon such swinging, a storage cavity or chamberr25 which opens through the upper surface 15 of heel member 2 becomes exposed rather than closed against the under surface 1S of sole portion 3 as in the normal closed position of Fig. l.

The description given above in connection with Fig. l is equally applicable to 'the view of the preferred embodiment of Fig. 2, and like parts are identified by like numerals in these figures. Fig. 2 further shows a full U- shaped skirtmember '26,'of whichthe limited rear portion 20 is dened between s lots 27 and 28. Skirt member 2,6 has a vertical heightsubstantially equal toy but 'sl'ighnyiessthn the `1;;eig`1iroftheheeimember z and .is aiixed permanently to the shfoe '1 by meansof Vthreads 2 1 Y`'whichpass 'through -an inturned ilan'geportion 290i the` skirt member and join thean'ge portion to sole portion `3 fand, if desired, to upper 5. Flange 29'thus becomes,V inielect, apartof the4 undersurface '18 of heel portion 3, and it is preferably either thinA enough to lie substantially'flush with lthe sole'surfacle oris disposed in a shallow groove or bevel cut peripherally int-o the sole suiciently to cause theflan'ge to'lie flush with the ,surface 18. AThe skirt portion ofthe heel structure may be of metal 4but' it ispreferablyfof Aa resilient synthetic plastic materiall appropriately cbloredto` blend with' other Aportions of'theshoe. H I (y n n x l vThe maleelement 13 of the cfatchfarrahgerrientfisseen in Fig. y2 to comprisea base plateportion yattached by screws 14 to heel rnemher'Z in arnauner to dispose the plate generally flushwithheel surface 15, and, as shown kin Fig. 3 the plate Silniay have peripherlal ind-tentations 31 to receive the respective heads of hat headed screws 14. It will be furtherjn'oted, from'Fig. Lthatthe screws 17 of the female spring-comprising element 16 are so oriented as :to be out of line with screws `14wthus to avoid contact between the screwheads in case theI heads are not exactly flush with the surfaces inyolved, Hinge leaf 7 is seen to be set into a slightwdepression 32n `in heel member 2, whereby leaf 9 maywbe ,aixed tohthe sole under surface 1S, without the necessityof a depression to receive this leaf, and, Vas so arranged, the hinge pin Haxis 8 is spaced slightly below V,surface 18 and the heel member may freely pivot on the pin 8. Y

A modification is suggested byFig. 4, in which skirt 33 is cemented tothe outer periphery of the sole heel portion 3. The ,skirtw33 has a resilient portion 34 corresponding to portion 2Q of skirt 26 of Figs. 1 and 2, and the skirts otherwise correspond to one another in funcktion and in general appearance except for the diifering attachment arrangements thereof.

I. In operation, the arrangement of Figs. l through 4 per- Amits coins or thejlike to be placed in the storage cavity and the movable heel member 2 then to be pivoted on y,the hinge pin 8 fromthe Fig. 2 position into the closed Fig. l position. As the member 2 moves upwardly it slidesY into the encompassing stationary skirt portion 26, untilnthe catches engage to hold the heel member 2 thereafter in normal aligned position. Heel portion 3 Aofthe sole together with the thereto attached skirt elernent 26, accordingly, comprise axed or stationary com- V,positehollow member into which the heel member 2 may slide, thereby to close the storage chamber 25 of the member 2.

The stationary composite member, comprising heel sole' portion 3 and skirt -26, and the member 2v which is slideable thereinto, together constitute an overall heel structure having substantially the external appearance of the heel structure of a normal shoe.

It will Vbe understood that the heel member 2 has what is herein referred to as a normal position'underlying the heel sole portion 3 and in alignment therewith, and when 41n said normal position, the movable and stationary heel members present no objectionable protuberances, have the lusual appearance of a shoe heel, and are disposed ltopermit normal use of the shoe for standing, walking, running or otherI activity of the wearer.

Figs. and 6 show a construction which comprises as a composite assembly van extended hinge plate 38, Nonrnountmg to the heel sole'portion 3\`, and connected to smaller hinge leaf 39 through hingelpin'Q. Hinge in size, shape' and function plate 38, since plate 38 when attached to thei shoe be- `coms,`in effect, a part of the stationary heel portion 3 of the sole.

An inturned upper fiange'portion 43 of skirt or shield 44 may be interposed as shown between plate 38 and the sole portion 3 to x the skirt to the shoe. The shield member 44 may, accordingly,'be substantially identical with the shield 26 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and it preferably comprises a resilient portion 45 having an inward catch projection 46 vcooperating with the heel member 41'in the same manner Vaspreviously described portion 2Q and projection 23 cooperate with heel member 2 of Figs.`l and 2.

Female force-responsive catch element 47 in the modication of Figs. 5 and 6 is conveniently formed integral with plate 38 and comprises aplurality of spring fingers 48 arranged releasably to engage the male catch member 49 carried by heel member 41, y l

i Screws 5 0, shown in Fig. v5, convenientlyattach'plate 38 'andits interconnected movable heel member 41 to the shoe sole, passing through suitableopenings 51 'shown in Fig. 6. Heel member "41 has a storage chamber 52 'therein' opening through its upper'surface 53. The centralportion of plate 38 is 'preferably' cut away las'shown at 54 inorder to saveweight slightly 'to increase the size -of the storage space of `cavity'52. In the normal closed position 'of the heel member 41, as seen in Fig. 5, thechamber 52 is closed against lsole portion 3, plate 38 being interposed. v

In the constructionsv vshown` in Figs. 1 lthrough 6, accordingly, a movable heelffrnemben'suchas member 2, is hingedly mounted Ito a'station'ry heel member, comprising, forexample, soleV heel portion?, and the guard member 26 connected' thereto." Themovable member 2 is arranged to sliderinto and out ofa'hollow or'socket formed bythe arcuate guard, fwhich provides 4side 'walls for the socket, and by the heel sole' portion'whichprovides a top wall. vIntheV constiction'shown, the heel member^2 pivots for swings' on "tlielinge'axis las it slides into Vandout ofV the's'ocltfet. Two'friction catch means are provided, one oyfwhiich` comprises 'metal spring snap elements as at' 12 in' Fig.' 1,"an'di't,he` other of which comprises ythe projection 2 3 engageable iwith a portion of the member? atindentation 22, or, more particularly, shoulder 22 formed at'the indentation.

Operation ofthe device as disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6 will beunderst'ood to besubstantiallyiidenticaluwith that of the preferred embodiment of Figsgl and 2. v

Figs. 7 through 9 disclose a"r'hodifc`a`tion according to the invention wherein -theniovable heelrne'niber60 is 'arranged to swing ona vertically ydisposed-hingel pin 61 whichextends perpendicularlydownwardly 'from' shoe sole 62 rather than extending'horizontallyv and' laterally 'across the sole as do p'ins8 'aiidl`40 vof Fig. l andFig. 5, respectively. Accordingly, heel `niember``may swing from the normal position fof Fig. 7, in which storage chamber 63A is closed against' the` under surface'of the shoe sole, into lthevbroken linempositi'on 64 in which the chamber is exposed for access externally of'theishoe.

The hinge construction comprises aA plate or base 65 Vto whichpin `61Iis rigidlyaiiixedfand which,'in turn, is axed by screwsA 66' rigidly tosole Vtrie'inber'-62;and Aa hinge leaf and bearing member '67. `rotatable onpn 61 and attached toi-heel member A60 by( screws-68. The

Yend of pin l61 4remote from plateiSAis lfort'rlediiito a head portion 69 to retain bearing member 67 oni-the pm- "A mala 'spring 'catch or aetmeiemem '7o' isfaixed to the heel member 6`spaced rearwardly from the'axis of hinge `p'in61 and engageable with a female indentation or depression 71 in sole 62to actas a force-responsive friction catch arrangement to retain heel member 60 in normal position until suliicient force is applied to the heel member, as by the tingers of the Wearers hand, to Cause the heel to release the detent 7G from its female element 71.

Additional catch means are provided in the form of a generally J-shaped arcuate skirt or shield 72 preferably of spring metal attached to the sole 62 by means of inwardly folded tabs and screws, such las tab 73 and screw 74. The end portion 75 of shield 72 partially encircles the rearward end of the heel member whereby, as the heel is pivoted from its normal position under the sole to its position 64, end portion 75 yields outwardly against its spring tendency -to grip the heel member, thereby to function as a catch element. A depression 76 is preferably formed in the louter surface of the heel to receive shield 72 and to give a smooth, unbroken contour to the shoe when the heel member 60 is in normal closed position.

The vertical hinge or pivot pin 61 is preferably disposed toward one side of the heel member, as seen in Fig. 7, so that substantially the whole chamber 63 is exposed when the heel member is swung outwardly on the pivot.

It will be apparent that, in the construction of Figs. 7-9, the spring catch 70 and the spring end 75 each operate separately as a friction catch, affording extra security against inadvertent exposure of the storage chamber.- The shield 72 operates further to guard the heel member from forces which might accidentally swing the heel from normal position. The end 77 of depression 76 is slightly spaced from end portion 75 of shield 72, thereby to permit the finger of the 'hand to engage end 77 to force the heel from its closed or normal position. It will be seen that guard 72 and the sole 62 form a stationary heel member defining ya socket into which and from which movable heel member 60 may slide in pivoting on hinge axis 61, the normal closed position of member 60 being within the socket and in alignment with the rearward end of the sole, as `shown in full lines in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

It will be noted that the heel portion of the shoe sole member in each embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is uninterrupted in that the sole is solid throughout the heel portion, presenting comfortable support for the heel of the wearer and the only opening into the sole heel portion being the small or slight indentation in the under surface 18 necessary to receive the male catch member 13 of Fig. l, 49 of Fig. 5, or 70 of Fig. v9. Since the heel portion of the sole is structurally uninterrupted, with the exception of the mentioned indentations extending only partly through the sole, the sole persents a smooth unbroken upper surface and rrn support to the heel of the wearer, the original rigidity of the sole heel portion being, in the case of the Figs. 5 and 6 construction, supplemented by the addition thereto of the plate 38.

While only certain preferred embodiments of this invention have been shown and described by way of illustration, many modifications will occur to those skilled housed position in said socket, said catch means being disposed spaced from the axis of said hinge, said movable member having a surface portion engaging 4a portion of the wall of said socket and having a storage chamber opening through said surface portion and normally closed by said socket wall portion when said movable member` is housed in said socket and accessible when said movable member is swung from said socket.

2. In ya shoe having a sole with an integral heel portion, a heel member having a hollow storage cavity therein opening through the top surface of said member and normally closed against said heel portion, said heel memberA having a lower ground-contacting wearing surface', a hinge having a pair of pivotally connected leaves, one said leaf being connected to said heel por"- tion and the `other being connected to said heel member whereby said heel member may be pivoted relative to said heel portion, res-training means interconnecting said heel portion and said heel member spaced from the pivot of said hinge and normally restraining said heel member in normal supporting position under ysaid heel portion and with said lower surface in normal ground-contacting position, said restraining means being releasable in response to the application of force to said heel member to release said heel member from said heel portion for swinging on said hinge pivot thereby to expose said opening into said cavity;

3. The combination in accord with claim 2 wherein said heel member has an outer surface and a discontinuity in said outer surface forming a shoulder remote from said hinge and engageable by an external forcing object, said shoulder being oriented to transmit to said heel member force applied to said shoulder by such object in the direction to release said restraining means.

4. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said hinge has a vertical pivot axis. l

5. In a shoe having a sole member with a smooth unbroken upper surface and including an integral heel portion, a heel member having a generally flat upper surface and having a storage cavity extending downwardly thereinto through its said upper surface, said heel member having a forward edge facing the toe of said shoe, a hinge in the 'art and it is, therefore, desired that it be understood that it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new and what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. In a `shoe having a sole member including an integral heel portion, 'an arcuate guard element afhxed to the heel portion of said sole member and depending therefrom and forming therewith a walled socket having an opening, a movable heel member fitting said attached to said upper surface of said heel member and to said heel portion of said sole member and having a pivot axis adjacent said forward edge and underlying said sole member whereby said heel member may be swung on said axis away from its normal position in which its said upper surface is in conforming contact with said heel portion into an open position in which its said upper surface is spaced from said heel portion to expose said cavity to ready access externally of said shoe, said hinge being substantially hidden from view when said heel member is in said normal position, and a pair of force-responsive releasably interengaging catch members attached respectively to said upper surface of said heel member at a portion thereof spaced from said pivot axis and on said heel portion of said sole member operative normally to restrain said heel member in said normal position and upon application of force to said heel member to release said heel member for said swinging into said open position.

6. In a shoe having a sole member including an integral heel portion, a movable heel member having opposite forward and rearward end portions, a hinge connecting said second member at one of said end portions to said sole member, a resilient skirt element joined to said heel portion of said sole member and depending therefrom and forming a socket therewith, said socket receiving said heel member ttingly therein when said heel member is in a normal closed position under said heel portion of said sole member, said heel member having a surface portion engaged against a wall of said socket when said heel member is in its said normal closed position, said heel member being swingable on said hinge between said normal closed position under said heel portion of said sole into an open displaced position in which said surface portion s eX- posed externally of -said socket, said heel member and said socket `comprising respective interengaging frictio-n Acatch portions spaced 'from the axis of said'hinge and being normally engaged to restain said heel member when said heel member 'is/in said normal closedV positionV and releasable'upon the application of force to saidheel member in a-direction to swing said heel memberA from'said closed to said-open position, and a storage chamberl in said heelmember opening through said surfacerportion.

7. In'a shoe having a sole member including an integral yheel portion, a heel structure comprising, n said heel portion, a guard element forming a hollow socket aflixed to and underlying said heel portion and forming therewith a stationary member, a movable member-slidably fitting said socket and normally disposed in aligned position therein,

a surface portion of said stationary member exposed to Vsaid socket, saidmovable member having a surface por- 'a projection extending laterally into said socket and movable outwardly -in response to resilientdeformation of said guard element, said movable member having an'indentation therein receiving said projection and forming therewith a releasable friction catch normally retaining said movable member in its said aligned position, and said movable member having a iinger-engageable portion dis.` posed interiorly of said socket when in said aligned position accessible upon said resilient deformation of said guard element.

8. In a shoe having a sole member including an Vintegral heel portion, a resilient deflectable guard element forming with said heel portion of said sole member a hollow socket having an open bottom, said guard being atlixed to said sole member and underlying said heel portion and forming therewith a stationary member, a movable heel member fitting said socket and normally "disposed in aligned position therein, a hinge joining said movable heel member to said heel portion of said sole member whereby said movable member may be swung into and out of said socket about the axis of said hinge, a surface portion f said stationary member exposed to said socket, said movable heel member having a surface portion disposed in facing juxtaposition to said surface portion of said staticnary member when said movable heel member is disposed in said aligned position in said socket and exposed when said movable heel member is hingedly swung from said socket, and a storage chamber in said movable heel member opening through said surface portion of said movable heel member, said stationary member and said movable heel member comprising respective interengaging releasable friction catch elements and said movable heel member having a finger-engageable outer surface portion.

9. The combination in accord with claim 8 wherein said side walls are provided with a discontinuous portion comprising a shoulder remote from said hinge axis, said shoulder having a face oriented to lie substantially perpendicular to thel direction in which said discontinuous portion swings upon said swinging motion of said heel member, said shoulder being contactable by an external object to transmit from such object to said heel member, force in the direction to release said catch means.

l0. In a shoe having a sole with an integral heel portion, a heel member having an upper surface normally positioned against said heel portion and having a forward end portion and a rearward end portion, friction catch means releasably interconnecting said` heel portion of said sole with said rearward end portion of said heel member, a hinge having an axis forwardly spaced from said catch means and adjacent said forward end portion Vof said heel member hingedly mounting said heel member' to said sole, saidheel member being swingable onV said `axis in adirectionto'separate-said upper surfce thereof from said`heel portionand said catch 'me'ansinor'rnally releasably restraining said-he'el'm'ember agaistsa'id swingingfandanarcuteguard dependingly attached to said sole heelportion and engaged'littingly Yabout the'o'u'ter surface wof Ysaid heelirnember and fopen' in v said direction `whereby said heel' member may/'swing therefrom on said hinge'axis,J said heel member having a storage'chaniber A therein opening throughs'aid upper surface normally closed forwardend edgeandanupp'er surface anda lower surface, a' hinge pin 'carried by'saidiplteialogits said forward end edge, an arcuate guardihavirigia'n yupper edge turned inwardly onto said-upper surface along' thesides and rear of said plate and dependingi'from the sidel and vreariedges -of said plate, a lhinge leafmounted on said hinge pin and swingable vtoward and away from said lower surface'aboutthe axis Vof said pin, a heel v'member'connected'to said leaf and swingable therewith, said Vmember' having an internal storagev cavityY opening upwardly toward said lower surfaceof said plate,'apa`iriof cooperating frictionc'atehv elements, `onelof said elements b'eing'mounted on said heelm'e'iriber and the other of said elements oonstituting a portion of said plate and being positioned for engagement by said one elementV upon'swinging of'said lafa'nd'heel member toward said platejsaidheelmmber being Yjnoportioned and larranged to'be Atittiriglyreceived insaid arcuate' guard.

l2. In a shoe havingv a rear 'str'ricture'of'the shoe which includes an underlyingheel portion ofthe sole-of the shoe, a hinge plate attachedito and'foijr'riing'aninteg'ral part' of said heel'portion,a`hingepin carried by Vsaid plate and disposedgenerally horizontally adalonghe forwardedge of said heelportion,fa` swingable hinge-element mountedon saidpin for swingingwithrspect to'said plate on said pin, a movable heelmerriberiixedfto said element and swingable therewith, said movable heel mm- 'ber having an upper surface, havingan fin'trnalmstorage chamber opening through its said upper surfacqha'ving a forward upper ledge disposed adjacentand generally'parallel to said pin and havinga lower ground-engageablewear- Ving surface, said heelrnember being'swingable'with'said v element about saidA pin from a normalhorizontal position with its said 'upper surface engaged undersaidv stationary heel portion'and with its: said 4chamber closed thereagainst into'a downwardly swung position in which said cavity is exposed for access, a pair of "releasable cooperative catch elements,` one of said elements being fixed to said i movable heel member and the other of said elements being xed to said rear structure of saidshoe, said elements being cooperatively engageable when said-heelniember is in its said normal horizontal position and' being disposed 'rearwardly of said' hinge pin and cooperating 'ii/hedengaged to retain said heel member in 'its lsaid iior'malfposition.

13. In a shoe, the combination, with alieel portionof the sole of the shoe, said heel portion having a'lsniooth unbroken upper surface, of a heel memberY having a forward i axis from the-position in which its said upper surface is disposed against said sole heel portion, said heel member 9 having a storage chamber therein opening through its said 1,55 1,3145)l upper surface and normally closed by contact of its said 1,571,069 upper surface with said sole heel portion. 2,507,991

References Cited in the ile of this patent 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 933974 921,433 Miller May 11, 1909 Thomasian Aug. 25, 1925 Blain Mar. 18,- 1930 Neal May 16, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 7, 1948 

